Fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

H. J. LUTG-HER.

FIRE EXTINGUTSHBRA No. 396,216. Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

N. PETERS. FhmoL'RhOgmphar. Wuhi nnnnnnn G.

? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. LUTCHER, OF ORANGE, TEXAS.

'FIRl E-EXTlNGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,216,dated January 15, 1889.

Application filed July 20, 1888- Serial No. 280,582. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J LUTOHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Orange and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Iinprovement in FireExtingnishers for Lu niber Driers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an automatic fire-extinguisher for luinber-driers; and it consistsginj certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawing I have shown a side view of my improved device.

Referring to the drawing by letter, A designates a drier of the usual construction, having an ordinary furnace, B, in its lower end, and provided in its top with a pair of doors, a, which are hinged at their lower sides and adapted to cover or uncover an opening, I), in the roof.

0 designates a hollow tube or thermal bar, which is rigidly secured at one end, as at D, to one side of the drier above the furnace, and passes through a guide, D,in-the opposite side of the drier and projects beyond the same, as shown.

At one side of the drier I erect, a frame, E,

on the upper end of which I secure a quadrant, F, having a graduated scale, G, 011 its pernneter. A sweep-arm, H, is fulcrumed to this quadrant at the corner of the same and is provided with a pointer, I, at its upper end, which plays in front of the scale, as shown. The outer end of the thermal bar is pivoted to the sweep-arm near and below the fulcrum of the same, as shown. At the outer corner of the frame E is provided the standard J, having the sleeve K at its upper end, and in this sleeve I mount the horizontal bar or rod L, the outer end of which is screw-threaded, as shown.

M M designate securing-nuts, which are mounted on the outer screw-threaded end of the rod L, on opposite sides of the sleeve K, to secure the said rod in position. By this arrangement the rod L can be readily adjusted longitudinally, as maybe desired.

From the lower side of the rod L, at an intermediate point of its length, depends the integral slotted arm N.

O designates a lug or car, which projects fromthe outer side of the sweeparm, and P designates a rod, which has one end screwthreaded and passed through the lug O, and is provided with the clamping and adjusting nuts Q, as shown, which bear against the opposite sides of the lug. The outer free end of said rod projects through the slotted arm N.-

R designates a steam-pipe, which communi- Gates with and extends from a suitable boiler, (not shown,) and has one end extending through an opening-in one side of the drier.

This steam-pipe is provided with a cut-off valve, S, which is provided with a beam or lever, T, by means'of which it may be opened or closed, the outer end'of said lever being in an elevated position. when the cut-off valve'is closed. pipe projects a vertical rod, U, which passes through a slot in the outer end of the lever T, and on this red is mounted a movable weight, V. To this weight is attached a cord, and to the upper end of the cord is secured a ring, X, which is slipped over the outer free end of the rod P, and thereby normally supports the ball or weight in an elevated position above the beam or lever T.

0 represents a vertical bracket, which project-s from the roof and is provided with a guiding-sheave, d. From one side of the sweep-arm H projects an ear or lug, e, which has a plain transverse opening.

frepresents a horizontal arm, which has one end provided with screw-threads and slipped through the openings in the ear or lug e, the opposite end of said arm being turned downward and provided with a slotted eye, g, through which the inner end of the rod L projects.

71. represents a pair ol' clampiug-nuts, which are screwed on the threaded portion of the arm f and bear against the opposite sides of the ear or lug e. These nuts secure the arm firmly to said lug, and by turning the said nuts the arm may be adjusted. longitudinally, as will be readily understood.

1' designates a guiding-sheave, whichis jour naled on a suitable support, j, and arranged about on a level with the sheave (1.

7a designates a cord, which is connected to the free sides of the doors a, passes over the From the upper side of the steamsheaves (Z 6, and is provided at its lower end with a ring, Z, which is slipped over the end of the rod L and bears against the eye 9 of the arm f.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The thermal bar is expanded by the action of the heat in the drier, so as to cause the sweep-arm to play in front of the scale, and thereby indicate the temperature of the drier. In the event that the contents of the drier should ignite the increased heat instantly generated in the drier will cause the tubular rod to expand to such an extent to move the sweep-arm sufficiently to draw the rod P from engagement with the ring X, thereby releasing the weight, which falls upon the end of the lever T, thereby opening the valve and allowing the steam to escape into the drier. At the same time the lever-arm carries the arm f inward so as to throw the ring Z from the rod L, thereby releasing the cord 7;, so that the doors a will close by their own gravity and cut off the draft, thereby condensing the steam and extinguishing the fire.

It will be seen that I have provided a very simple and eflicient device, and its advantages are thought to be obvious.

In practice the apparatus is so set that the doors 0; of the drier will close just prior to the time when the steam is let in. This is very necessary, for otherwise the steam would escape through these doors as rapidly as it is blown into the drier, and of course would not smother the fire. Indeed it would increase the combustion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the sweep-arm, the expansible rod having one end pivoted to the sweep-arm, the steam-pipe provided with a cut-off valve, and the weight normally supported in an elevated position by the sweeparm and adapted to be released thereby to open the valve, as set forth.

2. The combination of the sweep-arm, the expansible rod pivoted thereto, the steampipe having a cut-off valve provided with a lever, and the weight supported by the sweeparm over the lever and adapted to be released by the same to drop upon the lever and operate the valve, as set forth.

The combination of the sweep-arm, the expansible rod pivoted thereto, and the adjustable rod carried by the sweep-arm, the weight normally suspended from said rod, and the steam-pipe having a valve adapted to be operated by the weight, as set forth.

l. The combination of the expansible rod, the sweep arm or lever pivotally connected thereto, the horizontal rod L, the doors a, the cord connected to said doors and to the rod L, and adapted to be disengaged from said rod L by the sweep arm or lever, as set forth. 5. The combination of the sweep arm or lever, the expansible rod having one end pivoted to the sweep arm or lever, the tappetarm carried by the sweep-arm, the rod L, the doors a, the cord connected to said doors, and the ring secured to said cord and slipped on the rod L, and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the tappet-arm, as set forth.

6. The combination of the expansible rod, the sweep arm or lever pivotally connected thereto, the horizontal rod L, the doors a, the cord connected to said doors and to the rod L, and adapted to be disengaged from said rod L by the sweep-arm, the steam-pipe provided with a cut-off valve, and the weight supported normally in. an elevated position by the sweep-arm and adapted to be released thereby to open. the valve, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. LUTCHER.

\Vitnesses:

E. W. BANcRoFr, \V. A. JOHNS. 

